Don't Take Me For Granted
by EverythingFan
Summary: Serena has returned to the Upper East Side knowing she won't be welcomed home with open arms. Is her and Blair's friendship over? Will she ever regain her position as the 'It' girl? Only time will tell... Comment if you like, or if you want me to update.
1. All's Fair In Love And War

Serena Van Der Woodsen scrambled through the boxes and crates that were littered across her hotel room floor.

Since arriving back in the upper east side of New York her mother had made no bother to find them somewhere to live. It was like she had her mind on other things, seeing as it was now free of its previous worries. Serena could understand, after her brother tried suicide it was like a dark cloud was floating above the family, but moving back to New York, the rain cloud somehow dispersed.

"Mom where are my boots?" she yelled through to the bathroom and her mother appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a black dress and her hair was down. "Going somewhere?"

"I'm going out for coffee with Eleanor," her Mom explained twirling on the spot "Like it?"

"You look nice, now where are my boots?" Serena persisted.

"In the box with all your other boots," Lily Van Der Woodsen sighed "Have you spoken to Blair since you've returned?"

Serena paused for a moment and watched a plane out of her bedroom window. "Yeah, we're going shopping after school."

She hadn't meant to lie, but her mother had such high hopes of Serena regaining her position of the 'It' girl at Constance Billiard, that sometimes she wondered if that was why they returned home.

But somehow she knew that Blair wasn't going to welcome her back with open arms.

"Good," Lily smiled, sipping her coffee "I'm glad you two have managed to stay friends."

"Me too," Serena replied, glancing at her watch "Mom, I really have to go."

"Don't let me stop you," Serena leant forward and kissed her cheek "Dinner's at seven."

Serena stopped in the doorway for a moment "Since when do you cook?"

"Since we have company," Lily smirked knowingly and Serena raised her eyebrows "Now shoo."

"Bye Mom," Serena laughed, closing the door behind her.


	2. Cheer Up, The Worst Is Yet To Come

Compared to the Van Der Woodsen household, the Waldorfs penthouse apartment on the Upper East side was at the point of OCD neatness.

Blair swung her legs languidly over the side of her bed, pushing her mask off of her eyes and throwing it down on her table. She could hear the maids downstairs preparing breakfast, but she had inclination to eat. It was the first day of the academic school year, and as she pulled open her wardrobe doors to inspect her freshly pressed uniform, she smiled. Everything was going to plan.  
Everything that was, except Serena. She'd reappeared back from boarding school, stumbling back into Blair's life with her usual annoying perfection and unattainable ease.

Tugging a brush through her chocolate brown hair, she glanced at her Sidekick. A message glowed on its screen. She flipped it open to read it. It was from Chuck.

'So is this going to be the year you finally give it up to Nate?' she wrinkled her nose, sometimes she hated her boyfriend's best friend. But he was the richest boy she knew, and someone you didn't want to get on the wrong side of, so she tolerated him.

Just.

Smoothing her hair down, she reached for a white Alice band, pushing it onto her head, checking it in the mirror above her vanity table.

Because even a reappearing ex-best friend and a letch of a boy wasn't going to put a dampener on Blair's mood.


	3. Reconciliation: Harder To Do Than Spell

Entering school with her hand inside Nate's, Blair could feel her stomach turn slightly. Even though she'd been attending Constance Billiard for years, she still felt nervous at the beginning of every new year.

"It's gonna be okay," Nate said quietly, so Kati and Isabel wouldn't hear.  
"What?" she asked.  
"You're nervous, I can tell," he glanced at her "You'll be fine."  
She swallowed. Sometimes she forgot how well he knew her. As they separated, and he headed up St Jude's steps, she looked back over to watch him laughing at something with Chuck.

Walking into the main hallway, she almost collided with Serena.  
"Serena," she deadpanned, as Kati and Isabel caught up to her "I trust you're well. You look it."  
"Thanks," Serena replied. The air was practically crackling with the tension and suppressed emotions.

Blair flicked her hair "I'll see you in assembly," she looked back at Kati and Isabel "Let's go."

Serena watched the three girls walk past. She wasn't angry, just confused. She'd expected Blair to lash out at her verbally for leaving and not telling her. But she seemed calm and collected. Stiff, but controlled.

Shaking her head, she joined the other students trailing into the Great Hall.

---

As soon as assembly had finished, Serena headed outside. The large imposing school building felt stifling and after being free for so long, she was finding it difficult to adjust.

"So are we going to talk about this?" Serena turned to find Blair, arms crossed, standing a few steps above her.

"I suppose," Serena glanced down "I don't know what to say…"

"You could start by telling me where the hell you've been for the last twelve months," Blair suggested "Or why you left without a phone call and why I had to find out by your Mom saying 'Oh didn't Serena tell you, she's left the city.'"

"It isn't that easy," Serena closed her eyes, wishing the ground would swallow her up.

"Well then make it easy," Blair stepped down the stairs to be on the same level as Serena "Because I'm trying really hard to understand."  
"So you understand _now_?" Serena frowned "Great timing Blair, maybe you should have tried to understand _then_."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Blair exclaimed "You never talked to me. You blocked me out and it's all supposed to be _my _fault?!"  
"You were a bitch…" Serena answered, in barely a whisper.

"Is that supposed to offend me?" Blair asked "Maybe you should think about who I am before you say that."

"So it's all very well me 'blocking' you out, but now I'm back it's acceptable for you to do it to me?" Serena let out an exasperated breath "You haven't changed one bit."

"I'm here, Serena," Blair shook her head "I stayed. I waited for you. And then you come home and it's like… what? You expect me to have become a hermit because _you_ left?" she rolled her eyes "And why should I have changed? And why shouldn't I block you out?"  
"Because I'm your friend," Serena offered quietly, turning away and screwing up her face uncomfortably. She began to walk down the steps but she stopped. "Because I was the one that took a public fall for you when you had your pregnancy scare, because I took care of you at your birthday party, because _you_ broke up with your boyfriend."

"And why did my boyfriend break up with me?" Blair pretended to think "Oh yeah, that's right, because he's in love with _you!_" she shouted "And don't try to deny it because I know you know that he knows that I know!"

Serena stifled laugh, then collected herself. "It doesn't matter does it?"

"Well…" Blair trailed off "It's kind of supposed to… maybe."

"It doesn't matter because I don't love him, he loves _you_," Serena walked up to Blair and took hold of her rigid hands "You are the girl he comes back to _every_ single time… Not me."

"I spoke to your Mom," Blair mumbled "She said that you told her we were going shopping. But we weren't," she looked up "I covered for you and told her we were though."  
"I'm sorry I didn't call."

"I'm sorrier," Blair giggled and then sniffed.

"Well since we are meant to be going shopping…" Serena's green eyes twinkled like the diamonds on Blair's pendant "You wanna?"

Blair hesitated for a moment before holding out a hand for Serena to take "Sure."  
"Bendels or Tiffany's?" Serena questioned, squeezing Blair's hand.

"Tiffany's every time," Blair smiled as they turned the corner and disappeared down the street.


	4. Beauty Is Itself a Flaw

Serena pushed her card key into the door, and opened it widely, dragging her Tiffany's bags in with her. Blair had made her buy at least three necklaces for her Mom alone, a new watch for Erik and numerous other pieces for herself. Sometimes she thought Blair should own some of the stock, she spent so much time and money in there it was like a second home.

"Serena is that you?" Lily called from the sitting room, Serena could hear the sound of tinkling glasses and shuffling feet in the kitchen.

"Yeah," Serena stuck her head around the door, but there was no one in there "I'm gonna go to my room."

"Okay," Lily let out a giggle.

What the hell? What was funny about that? Serena wondered. She figured she had had too much to drink, so she shrugged and carried her bags to her bedroom.

Once she was inside she removed her clothing and slipped on a comfortable negligee, landing on her bed she pulled out her laptop and checked her emails. She had one from Erik and another from Dan.

'Hi Serena, it's Erik. It's pretty lonely here, so come visit me sometime. Berkeley isn't so far away you know. Oh, and bring Blair, she's hot!'

Serena laughed at her brothers shallowness, at least he was okay, her Mom had sent him straight back to college after the _suicide_ thing. Which she totally didn't understand. Closing Erik's email she clicked onto Dan's.

'Hey Serena, it's Dan. Not that you wouldn't have already guessed I mean, you do have my email right? So therefore my name would be on this email wouldn't it. Okay I'm babbling. I just thought I'd see how you were, I know what it's like to be a loner. No that totally came out wrong, I mean like… No friends? I mean, not that you have no friends, because you're Serena Van Der Woodsen, and everyone knows who you are… Don't they? But yeah, reply if you want, I'd understand if you didn't, I'd forget me too… I'm real forgetful, but I won't forget you.

Dan.'

Serena felt her heart turn to goo, somehow Dan said the stupidest things and they turned out to be the sweetest things anyone had ever said to her. Switching off her laptop she considered emailing Dan back, but then she heard the smashing of glass.

---

Blair tugged off her tights and threw them aside. She'd have to throw them out, she'd done so much walking around with Serena she'd laddered them about twenty times. Running a hand through her slightly curled hair, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her mascara was a little smudged, some of her blusher had moved from the apples of her cheeks to near her mouth, and her lip gloss was non existent. But for the first time in a long time, she felt happy. A practically new feeling for her.

Suddenly her bedroom door opened and Nate stood in the doorway.

"Hey," he said softly, stepping inside. She didn't say anything, just continued getting undressed and changing into her pajamas. "I heard about your screaming match with Serena."  
"It wasn't a screaming match," she replied "We went shopping."  
Nate smiled "Tiffany's."  
"As a matter of fact, yes it was," she nodded, tugging a silky blue camisole over her head.

"And I heard about what you said," he stepped closer "About me."  
"Nate," she sighed heavily "I'm really tired, can we talk about this some other time?"  
"Not really, no," he took hold of her arm "Blair, you said I was in love with Serena."  
She looked up, her sleepy eyes suddenly becoming angry "And I wasn't lying. Was I?"  
"Blair…"  
"Don't," she moved away from his grip.  
"I don't feel anything for Serena, other than friendship," he told her, but she shook her head.  
"I've accepted how you feel about her Nate, the least you could do is admit it to yourself," she fluffed up her pillow and threw the covers back.  
"The least I could do? Blair, do you hear yourself?" he let out an exasperated breath "I love you."  
She climbed into bed, settling herself, then looked over at him "Please just leave Nate, I want to go to sleep." He slumped a little, walking towards the door. "Oh, and Nate?"  
"Yes?" he responded, still hopeful she'd tell him to stay.

"Shut the door when you leave."

---

"Mom?" Serena called out, stepping out of her bedroom and into the sitting room.

She let out a cry as a red faced Bart Bass froze and her mother giggled loudly, obviously drunk.

Serena instantly panicked "Is Chuck here?!" she asked, covering her naked legs.

"No he isn't," Bart responded, standing up and straightening out his suit "It's just me and your mother."

Serena frowned at him "What are you doing here," she looked at the empty bottles of champagne that stood on the coffee table and instantly comprehended "Oh my god, you're the-the guest," she stammered and shook her head "No you can't be."

"Bart's a wonderful man," Lily added from behind him, hiccupping every so often.

"How much have you had to drink Mom?" Serena questioned, bending down beside her and rubbing her back "I think you need to go to bed."

"I'll take her," Bart offered.

"No you won't!" Serena retorted "You're a Bass, I'm not stupid," she hissed, ushering her mother towards her bedroom.

"Leave me alone Serena," Lily complained, but made no effort to free herself from her daughters grip "I want some more champy!"

"You don't need any more champy Mom…" Serena responded, setting her mother down onto her bed.

Yawning loudly Lily lay down closing her eyes, and within seconds she was asleep.

"I think you should leave," Serena ordered Bart as she reappeared from the bedroom and began clearing up the champagne bottles.

"Let me help…"

"No!" she looked him in the eye, shocked by her sudden outburst "It's fine, really."

"Just let me help," he smiled, taking hold of a bottle.

"Please go away," Serena grumbled, rubbing her temples "And don't come back."

"Is your mother going to be happy about that?"

"My Mom doesn't know what happiness is," Serena responded shortly "And you are sure as hell not gonna show her what it is."

"I make your mother very happy, actually," he smirked, smugly.

"Men like you give out diamonds as often as normal people give out flowers," Serena sighed "You're a Bass, face it, you'll never make anyone happy," she dropped the bottles into a bin bag and deposited by the front door "At least not for longer than a night."

"I think I should go," Bart suddenly decided, collecting his wallet and cell phone which had been buzzing during their whole conversation.

"I think you should," Serena deadpanned, turning away "That's the best idea you've had all night."

"Bye then," he spoke, and stood in the doorway for a second, before stepping out down the corridor.

"Good riddance," Serena grumbled, dragging her heavy feet back to her bedroom and collapsing onto her bed.


	5. We Need Not Think Alike, To Love Alike

"Bart Bass was in _your _hotel room?!" Blair exclaimed, clapping her hands over her mouth "That must have been priceless." She and Serena were walking into school the next day, discussing last night's events.  
"It was," Serena linked her arm with Blair's "Except that he and my Mom had been drinking together, she was completely drunk and when I asked him to leave, he wouldn't."  
"Did you call the concierge?" Blair asked "I've had to throw people out before and they're always extremely helpful."  
"No, I got rid of him myself," Serena replied, flicking her hair back over her slender shoulders "But _Bart Bass _and _my Mom_?" she shook her head in horror "It's just all so… disgusting."

"Speaking of disgusting, look who just arrived," Blair said as Chuck appeared in front of them.  
"Ladies," he greeted them both "I trust you are well."  
"Very," they deadpanned in unison.

"I didn't see my Father last night," he mentioned "He must have been at yours, Serena."  
"Why would he be at mine?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.  
"Oh, you _must_ have known that your Mom and my Dad have been dating," he leant in close to whisper "It's quite the talk of the town."  
"I didn't hear about it," Blair replied in a tone that was either indignant, or trying to comfort Serena. Or both.  
"That's because everyone knew you'd run off and tell Blondie here," he grinned "And then she'd return to put a stop to it and ruin all their fun."

"Get out of my way, Chuck," Serena shoved him aside, feeling nausea rise in her stomach and headed up the front steps.  
"Blair," she turned as Chuck said her name.  
"What?"  
"I heard about your fight with Nate," he looked serious and sincere "I'm sorry."  
She rolled her eyes "Sorry? You really shouldn't use big words you don't understand, Chuck," she responded and followed Serena into school.

---

After first lesson, Blair had a free period, which she chose to spend in the library, using the school computers to buy shoes online.

She'd just added another pair to her basket at Bendel's when someone pulled up a chair beside her.

"What are you doing here, Nate?" she asked quietly, she didn't even need to look to know who it was.

"We need to talk," he began "About us."  
"According to you, we always need to talk," she turned on her chair to face him "So talk."  
"Blair," he sighed "You know I love you."  
"If I knew that then we wouldn't be having this conversation."  
"But right now, you're driving me crazy!" he exclaimed "You won't take my phone calls, you make me leave whenever I come over, you avoid me at school…" he trailed off.  
"And yet you still haven't take the hint," she replied "I wonder why that is."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nate, I know how you feel about," she hesitated "Serena. And," her throat tightened, she couldn't believe it, she was actually going to cry in front of him "And now she's back I can understand that you, that you-" she broke off. "I have to go," she grabbed her bag and jacket from the back of her seat.  
"Blair," he tried to take her arm but she was already running out of the library, down the corridor and into the girls toilets.

Girls standing at the mirrors looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Get the hell out!" she shouted, chasing them all outside. Grabbing the heavy, metal bin with both hands, she pushed it up against the door, barricading herself in. Entering the last cubicle, she dropped down on her knees in front of the toilet, retching into the bowl.

Her stomach finally emptied, she slumped backwards, leaning her head against the cold, tiled wall. Tears streamed down her face, she wiped them aside, feeling her eyes grow red and raw. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She flicked it open.

'What's going on?' it was from Serena.

'Don't come looking for me,' she typed back, then clicked her Sidekick shut.


End file.
